12 Actors Who Should Rejuvenate Their Careers With TV Shows

Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesEddie Murphy is just one of the actors whose career could benefit from heading to the small screen.

With the rise of quality cable programming and things like Netflix, no longer is television a second-class citizen in Hollywood.

In fact, TV's become a place for movie types to experiment, take chances, and reinvigorate their careers without feeling like they're slumming it.

Just look at Kevin Spacey's resurgence thanks to House of Cards or the love True Detective's getting. The question is: Who else could use the boost back atop the A-List with the help of a hit show? We have some suggestions.

1. Reese Witherspoon can act, she just needs "grittier material."

Coming off her Oscar win for Walk the Line in 2006, Reese Witherspoon was the hottest actress in the biz.

But she was unable to capitalize on the momentum, bogged down by forgettable films like Just Like Heaven, Water for Elephants, How Do You Know, Four Christmases, and This Means War.

Her turn in Mud though reminded the world that she's more than just a pretty face. She can act, especially if she's given some grittier material.

2. Edward Norton hasn't had a hit movie since 2003.

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Do you realize the last movie to score above 75% on Rotten Tomatoes with Edward Norton in a lead role is 2003's 25th Hour?

It's been more than a decade since he's starred in anything worth talking about, and he's way too great an actor for that. Instead of being relegated to bit parts, we'd like to see Norton as the central character in a serialized cable show.

4. Adrien Brody was struck with the Oscar curse.

With the exception of his work with Wes Anderson, Brody has been stuck making things like Splice and the abominable InAPPropriate Comedysince The Pianist put him on the map. The acting chops are there, clearly; he just needs the right forum to show them off again.

5. Parker Posey is hilarious.

Parker Posey was the indie it-girl in the '90s, but as she's gotten older, it seems like the industry has moved on. Huge mistake, industry!

Her two episode turn on Louie proved she has a place on TV, and that she can still make you laugh and break your heart all in the matter of a few lines of dialogue.

6. Jude Law needs an HBO drama series.

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Jude Law can't keep making Sherlock Holmesmovies forever, right? He should take a page from the "McConaughey: How To Redefine Your Career Handbook."

He's already going against type on the big screen with the British indie Dom Hemingway, so the next step is to hook up with HBO for some kind of dark, engaging drama series.

7. Kate Hudson needs to get out of her rom-com rut.

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Remember when Kate Hudson was nominated for an Oscar because she was so good in Almost Famous? That was 14 years ago, and that's still her highest rated film on Rotten Tomatoes.

She's been stuck in rom-com hell, and it's time a quality showrunner — Shonda Rhimes? — to rescue her.

8. Eddie Murphy just needs some good material.

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Eddie Murphy might be in the most desperate need of good material. These are his last five non-Shrek projects: "A Thousand Words," "Tower Heist," "Imagine That," "Meet Dave," and "Norbit." This from the funniest actor of the '80s.

Murphy feels like the perfect person to do one of those semi-autobiographical comedies where he plays an exaggerated version of himself, like an Eddie Murphy version of Curb Your Enthusiasm or something. Can you imagine that?

9. We want to binge-watch Frances McDormand in a 10-episode miniseries.

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If Netflix really wanted to do something smart, they should lock the Coen brothers down for a 10-episode miniseries with Frances McDormand in the lead. Who wouldn't binge-watch that?

She's at her best working under their tutelage, and it's been a six-year drought since we've been given the gift of their collaboration.

10. Kevin Costner was great in the History channel mini-series "Hatfields & McCoys."

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It feels like Kevin Costner is still paying off his Waterwold debt in Hollywood.

Instead of signing up for stuff like 3 Days to Kill, maybe he should keep with TV. There's got to be a spec script out there about a coach or pro-sports exec or something. Costner would crush that part like he did in the History channel mini-series Hatfields & McCoys.

11. Michael Keaton should play "Kevin Spacey's new nemesis on 'House of Cards.'"

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Michael Keaton's been dipping his toe in the comeback waters for a few years now, but stuff like Robocop and Pixar voice-acting aren't going to relaunch the career he deserves.

Get this guy to play Kevin Spacey's new nemesis on the next season of House of Cards or something.